This is a record of my journey as a Muslim. I used to be Catholic and belonged to a missionary organisation. After my conversion, I sat on the board of a Muslim converts' organisation and specialised in da'wah programmes, convert management, interfaith issues and apostasy cases. I am an initiate of a Sufi order. As such, the articles and writings tend to cover these areas.
All the Arabic and graphics could not have been done without the help of my wife, Zafirah.

Monday, 18 June 2012

One Man's Devotion

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ
ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) is the nickname of ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sakhr al-Azdi (r.a.).
He is a noted swahaba and the most
quoted narrator in the isnad of many ahadits.
Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) spent only
three years in the company of the Prophet (s.a.w.)
and went on expeditions and journeys with him.
It is estimated that he narrated around 5,375 ahadits. Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) is one of the major trustworthy
narrators of hadits. He was an ascetic and one of the earliest of
the Ahl as-Swuffah. His memory was a miracle because of the du’a of Rasulullah (s.a.w.).

"I was a poor man, and used to stick to
Allah's Apostle contented with what will fill my stomach, and the Muhajirin used to be busy trading in the
markets, and the Answar used to be
busy looking after their properties. One
day I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'Who will spread his rida' (a garment covering the upper body) until I finished my
speech and then fold it, in which case he will never forget anything he had
heard from me?’ So I spread my garment
which I was wearing; and by Him Who sent Muhammad with the Truth, ever since, I
have never forgotten whatever I heard from him."

Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) was born in Baha’, Yemen into the Banu Daws from the region
of Tihamah on the coast of the Red Sea. His
father had passed away, leaving him with only his mother and no other
relatives. His name at birth was ‘Abd ash-Shams
before his conversion to Islam. However,
as a child, he had a cat and became known as ‘Abu Hurayrah’ which literally
means ‘Father of the Kitten’. After
embracing Islam, Abu Hurayrah (r.a.)
looked after the mosque and Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). He made it a
regular habit to give the leftover food to the wandering cats. Gradually the number of cats around the mosque
increased. He loved to caress and play
with them.

Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) embraced Islam through Tufayl ibn ‘Amr, the chieftain of his
tribe. Tufayl had returned to his
village after meeting the Prophet (s.a.w.)
and had become a Muslim in the early years of his mission. Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) was one of the first to respond to his call, unlike the
majority of Tufayl's tribesmen. Abu Hurayrah
(r.a.) accompanied Tufayl to Makkah to
meet Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) who
renamed him ‘Abd ar-Rahman, ‘Slave of the Merciful’ since his birth name, ‘Abd
ash-Shams, Slave of the Sun’ was not an appropriate name for a Muslim. Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) then returned to his tribe for several years.

In 629 CE, he went to Madina with some others
from his tribe. Since Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was absent at the Battle of
Khaybar, he stayed in the mosque. Abu Hurayrah (r.a.), with other Muslims, suffered from hunger when the Muslims
were poor in Madina.

“When I was afflicted with severe hunger, I
would go to a companion of the Prophet (s.a.w.)
and asked him about an ayah of the Qur'an
and stay with him learning it so that he would take me with him to his house
and give food. One day, my hunger became
so severe that I placed a stone on my stomach. I then sat down in the path of the companions.
Abu Bakr passed by and I asked him about
an ayah of the Book of Allah. I only asked him so that he would invite me
but he did not. Then ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab
passed by me and I asked him about an ayah
but he also did not invite me. Then Rasulullah
(s.a.w.) passed by and realised that
I was hungry and said: ‘Abu Hurayrah.’

‘At your command’, I replied and followed him
until we entered his house.

He found a bowl of milk and asked his family: ‘From
where did you get this?’

‘Someone sent it to you’, they replied.

He then said to me, ‘O Abu Hurayrah, go to the Ahl as-Swuffah and invite them.’”

Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) did as he was told and they all drank from the milk. It did not look like much, only a glass of
milk but they all drank their fill and Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) finished the rest.

Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) then spent one year and ten months with Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) in Madina, before the Prophet's
(s.a.w.) passing on 8th June
632 CE. Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) passed away in 681 CE or 59 AH at
the age of 78 and was buried at Jannah al-Baqi'.

Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) loved the Prophet (s.a.w.)
a great deal and found much favour with him. He never tired at looking at the Prophet (s.a.w.) whose face appeared to him as
having all the radiance of the sun and he was never tired of listening to him. Often he would praise Allah (s.w.t.) for his good fortune and say, “Praise
be to Allah Who has Guided Abu Hurayrah to Islam. Praise be to God Who has Taught Abu Hurayrah
the Qur’an. Praise be to God who has Bestowed
on Abu Hurayrah the companionship of Muhammad (s.a.w.)."

The life of Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) also contains many demonstrations of his love and devotion to
his mother. When he first embraced
Islam, no amount of pleading could convince his mother to do the same. His mother, Maymunah bint Subayh (r.a.) who was still a polytheist, was
with him. He prayed for her to become a Muslim, but she refused. One day, he again invited his mother to
Islam. She answered with some bad words
about the Prophet (s.a.w.). Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) went to the Prophet (s.a.w.)
with tears in his eyes. “Why are you
crying, Abu Hurayrah?” asked the Prophet (s.a.w.).

“I always invite my mother to Islam, and she
always refuses,” said Abu Hurayrah (r.a.). “I asked her again today but she said some
things about you that made me sad. Can
you pray to Allah for her to turn to Islam?”

The Prophet prayed for Abu Hurayrah’s (r.a.) mother to accept Islam. When Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) went home, he found the door closed. He heard the splashing of water. He tried to enter the house, but his mother
said, “Wait a minute. Don’t come in
yet.” Then she got dressed and said,
“You can come in now.” When Abu Hurayrah
(r.a.) went inside, his mother said,
“I declare that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Servant and
Messenger.”

Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) again went to the Prophet (s.a.w.) crying. But this
time his tears were tears of joy. “I
have good news, Rasulullah,” he said.
“Allah has Answered your du’a
and Guided my mother to Islam.”

Throughout his life, Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) remained kind and courteous to his
mother. Whenever he wanted to leave
home, he would stand at the door of her room and say, “Assalamu’Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.”

She would reply, “Wa’Alaykum as-Salaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.”

He would also say, “May Allah have Mercy on you
as you cared for me when I was small,” to which she would reply, “May Allah
have Mercy on you as you delivered me from error when I was old.”

Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) always encouraged other people to be kind and good to their
parents. One day he saw two men walking
together and enquired of the younger one, “Who is this man to you?” to which
the young man replied, “He is my father”. Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) advised him, “Do not call him by his name, do not walk in
front of him, and do not seat yourself before he does”.

This gentleness and affection between Abu Hurayrah
(r.a.) and his mother teaches us that
mutual respect and love is a duty. A
Muslim is obliged to show respect towards parents even if they are non-Muslim,
and the greatest love he can show towards them is to du’a to Allah (s.w.t.) in
hope that they will be Guided to Islam. At
the time of the Prophet (s.a.w.),
many of those who embraced Islam found that it conflicted with the beliefs and
requests of their parents, but they were taught to be kind and to obey their
parents, except if the parents demanded they disobey Allah (s.w.t.).

"But if they strive to make the join in worship with Me
things of which thou hast no knowledge obey them not; yet bear them company in
this life with justice (and consideration) and follow the way of those who turn
to Me (in love): in the End the return of you all is to Me, and I will tell you
the truth (and meaning) of all that ye did." (Surah Luqman:15)